Machine fob burnishing the edges of boot and shoe soles



PATENTED MAY 8, 1860.

B. T. INGALLS, MACHINE FOR BURNISHING THE BDGBS' 0F BOOT 0R SHOE SOLES.

\ NORRIS PETERS 00 momuY UNITED stratms PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS T. INGALLS, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR BURNISHING THE EDGES OF BOOT AND SHOE SOLES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,181, dated May 8, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS T. INGALLS, of Haverhill, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Burnishing the Edge of the Soles. and Heels of Boots and Shoes, and that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specification of the same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principles of my said improvements by which my invention may be distinguished from all others of a similar class, together with such parts as I claim and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

The figures of the accompanying plate of drawings represent my improvements.

Figure 1 is a plan or top View of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line A B Fig. 1. Figs. t, 5, 6, and 7 are views in detail.

The operation of burnishing the edge of the sole and heel of boots'and shoes, has, prei so vious'to my invention, been performed generally by hand labor, requiring a great expenditure of time and skill on the part of the operator. The present invention consists in an arrangement of mechanical devices whereby the work, is effected much more rapidly and accurately than by hand labor, and the essential elements of my new machine are as follows: First, in subjecting the edge of the sole and heel of the boot o'r shoe,-caused to move and guided either by machinery or by hand, in one fixed path, and having a firm bearingto the action of a suitable tool having a vibrating or other proper motion imparted to it in any suitable manner. Second, in giving such yielding elastic motions to the burnishing tool that it will conform to and bear equally upon all the inequalities and curves both of the edge and top of the sole and heel of the bootor shoe, producing nearly the same manipulations as those of the workman by the ordinary hand method. Third, in so arranging the tool stock that the tool can be set at any desired angle and thereby be adapted to any style and bevel of edge. Fourth, so hanging the tool-stock that it can turn in its bearings, whereby the tool can conform to the curves and elevations and depressions of the different portions of the sole and heel, and therefore not cut into the same, as would otherwise be the case.

Having thus premised the general features of my new machine and its most essential elements, I. will next proceed to describe its construction and operation in detail.

a a a in the drawings represents the supporting framework of the machine.

6 b is a boot or shoe placed upon a suitable lastwhich is held firmly in position by means of a stationary toe rest 0 and a sliding piece (Z moving in grooved ways 6 and engaging with the last near the heel as shown. The sliding piece (Z is moved back and forth by means of a screw f, thereby crowding the boot or shoe against the toe-rest or withdrawing it from the same according to the direction in which the said screw is turned.

9 g is a traveling frame conforming in its general outline to the shape of the sole of a boot or shoe and provided with pins h h, &c., that are engaged with a pinion 2' on the upper end of a vertical shaft 7c is rotated by means of a gear Z and endless screw or worm m on a horizontal shaft a n, revolved by a pulley 0. The pulley 0 receives its rotation from a band p p and pulley g on the ordinary driving shaft 1" r. The frame 9 g has on its underside a continuous grooved channel which fits over suitable pins 8 s with or without friction rollers as may be desirable. Thus it will be seen by imparting motion to the machine, the boot will be made to travel in a fixed path, so as to present every portion of the edge of the sole to any propertool.

If t is the tool having a horizontal lip u that bears upon the top of the sole and a socket o in which can be placed a piece of stone, metal or other suitable material, which bears upon the edge of the sole and can be formed of any desired shape, so as to produce any form of molding thereon. The stone, metal or other tool can be inserted in or removed from the socket 0 at pleasure, whereby an endless variety of shapes to the edge of the sole can be produced, the tool being held in its socket by any proper means.

w is the tool-stock or shaft placed in bearings w as of aframe 3 hinged at e in such a manner that it can turn in the said bearings and thereby permit the tool to adapt itself to the elevations and depressions of the sole and heel' and prevent its cutting into the same as would otherwise be the case. The tool frame y being hinged at a can be set at tool-stock and frame are attached to a vibrating bar 0 0 actuated by a connecting rod (1, that receives its motion from a crank on the driving shaft, the said connecting rod being so constructed as tobereadily-disconnected from the vibrating bar 0 0 when desired. ,A vertical elastic. and yielding pressure is brought to bear :upon the vibrating bar 0 c and consequently upon the burnishing tool, by means of a spiral spring 0 arranged as shown in Figs..2 and 3, and a horizontal orlateral yielding elastic pressure upon thezedge of the 'solefbyLmeans of a spiral spring f, coiled upon the vibrating bar 0. 0. 1.These lateraloand verticalyielding pressures are necessary to be given to the burnishing tool in order that it may adapt itself to and ,bear uniformly upon: the inequalities and curves both of side .and'top edges of the soleand heel; The lateral pressure can be regulated by the operator by means of a treadleg g acting upon a vertical rod h h and bent forked lever z" 2" bearing upon thespiraluspring f as will be readilylunderstood. is is a spring for retracting'the treadle. The vertical pressure canv be regulated by, ahand leverzz", acting upon the vibrating. bar 0 c.

It Will beevident thatvin lieu ofa vibrating burnishing tool, a revolving .tool, so formed as to have the requisite bearings upon the top and side edges of the sole and heel and made to revolve in any proper manner can be used, and a similar device can also be employed, with the top edge bearing for producing ornamental lines or configurations or beadings upon the side edge of the sole, it being however essential in all cases that the boot or shoe, shall travel in one fixed path. 7

The effect aimed at can also be tolerably well attained by the useof a stationary burnishing tool held and arranged substantially as above described while the boot or shoe is made to travel in a fixed ath as hereinabove stated. The burnishing tool can be heated if desired with steam by making the vibrating bar hollow or of one or more steam-pipes through which steam can be conducted to the hollow tool.

In my improved machine the actuating devices are so arranged as to readily be thrown out of gear, -whereby the boot or shoe can be instantly stopped in its course, while the burnishing tool keeps 'its motion, which is often desirable where one part requires more burnishing than others,and also the motion of the burnishing tool can be stopped while the motion of the boot or shoe continues, a horizontal revolving wheel with figures formed thereon, being substituted for the vibrating tool, in which case no Vibrating. motion will be required, the wheel simply revolving by the traveling of the boot or shoe and'forming beadings on etheedge thereof. y

Having thus described my improvements, 1 shall state my claims as follows:

- I do not claim broadly burnishing the edge of the sole and heel of a boot or shoe, by the action of a tool moved by machinery While the bootor shoe is presented to the said tool by the hand, but r l What I do claim, as my invention and desire to have secured-to me by Letters Patent, is, a r i 1. Subj ecting the edge of the sole and heel of the boot or shoecaused to travel and guided in a fixed path, either by machinery or by hand,to the action of a burnishing tool'either held stationary or having a vibrating or other proper motion communicated to it by any suitable arrangement of mechanical devicesas set forth.

2. Producing an elastic yielding motion to the burnishing tool both in a vertical and lateral direction by means substantially as described.

3. So arranging the tool-stock that the tool can be set at anydesired angle so as to conform to any shape and bevel of the edge of the sole and heel as described.

4. So hanging the tool-stock that it can turn in its bearings, whereby the tool will conform to the curves and elevations and depressions of the difl'erent portions of the sole and heel and therefore prevent its cutting into and defacing the same as would otherwise be the case.

ELIAS T. INGALLS.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH GAvE'r'r, ALBERT W. BROWN. 

